Unseen Footage
by Paint Smear
Summary: Possibly a collection of short "unseen" scenes between Fang, Lightning and Vanilla. I don't know, we'll see how it goes. Uh...this isn't a story about sisterly bonds...if you know what I mean.
1. Scene 1: Gran Pulse

**Disclaimer: **Read the Prologue

**Scene 1: Gran Pulse**

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><p>Oerba Yun Fang opened her olive green eyes with a frown. No, she was feeling too restless to sleep now. The wild–haired brunette rose to her feet easily and brushed herself off with care.<p>

"Serah…"

Fang turned her head and noticed Snow curled up in a fetal position on the bare ground. He clutched a large crystal tear in one gloved hand.

The poor man was dreaming of his fiancée again.

Her expression darkened, and she shook her head.

_Vanilla…I _will_ save you! _She declared silently, if only to reassure herself.

Almost instinctively, she began scanning the campsite to seek out her fair friend.

Sazh was sprawled on a grassy patch, fast asleep. Lightning sat on a smooth rock, polishing her gun blade.

Her eyes lingered on the pink–haired girl for a moment. Light, the unspoken leader of their little band of L'cie outcasts, fascinated her. The Gran Pulsian admired great strength in warriors, and Light…really impressed her. Her dark, brooding demeanor intrigued Fang all the more.

And_ she's a looker too._ She thought with an appreciative smile.

A girlish squeal snapped Fang out of her reverie. Her eyes darted to a far–off tree and caught sight of Vanilla. The auburn–haired girl was trying valiantly to catch Sazh's baby chocobo, which was wobbling precariously on a low hanging branch. Hope, the silver–haired boy, was attempting to help.

Fang admired Vanilla from where she stood, completely enraptured. She never could figure out what it was about Vanilla that filled her with such overwhelming love for the girl. There was just something about her wild gesticulations, her bouncy pony tails…her cheerful, innocent smile…

The brunette smiled almost shyly, and placed a hand on her hip. Memories of their time spent frolicking about in Oerba flashed invitingly in her mind.

Her face suddenly broke into a grin. It had just occurred to her that their first day back on Gran Pulse ought to be commemorated with a little indulgence of some sort.

And Fang already had something in mind.

With great seeming casualness, she sauntered over to the brooding Lightning.

"Yo, Light."

Lightning leveled her gaze at the approaching woman.

"Fang." She greeted in her usual dispassionate voice. "What is it?"

The tall, slender L'cie crossed her arms and wore an amused smile.

"Ah…and to think I was so sure that Gran Pulse would bring a smile to your face at last." She teased, tilting her head to one side.

Lightning's eyes widened slightly in surprise, taken aback by Fang's directness. Most people shied away from engaging in small talk with her.

She lowered her gaze.

"It's…not what I expected…Gran Pulse."

"Not the _scary_ hell you imagined, eh?" Fang bantered playfully.

The pink–haired girl looked away, twisting her lips into a frown. She disliked the way Fang derived pleasure from poking fun at her people…particularly since she privately agreed with her on that score.

"You'll tell me if this place starts to frighten you, won't you?" Fang continued in a strangely seductive voice, leaning in towards her. "I'll let you hold my hand so you'll feel all safe and secure."

Lightning's face snapped back towards her, her blue eyes wide with shock. A soft blush was blossoming in her pale cheeks.

Fang chuckled lightly at the latter's reaction, and jumped back just in time to dodge Lightning's fist.

"Careful now!" Fang commented hastily, raising her hands in mock surrender.

Lightning glared at her comrade.

"_You're_ in a good mood." She grumbled crossly, folding her arms.

Fang smiled serenely. "I'm back home, aren't I?"

Lightning looked at her thoughtfully for a moment before shifting her gaze to the huge silver sphere in the sky.

_It seems so…_weird_ to be standing and watching Cocoon from way down here. Yet, I can't say that I feel terribly homesick. There's such a peaceful quality to Pulse that I never imagined possible…_

"En."

Fang sighed, and turned in Vanilla's direction.

"Well, I'm going for a walk to stretch my legs a bit." She declared, a little too loudly.

Vanilla paused in mid-stance and gave Fang a quizzical look from a distance. The latter returned her a wink.

Lightning hesitated. "Is it safe?"

The brunette looked pleasantly surprised.

"You're actually worried about me?" She smiled indulgently. "I used to live here remember?"

Lightning rolled her eyes.

"Don't stray too far." She muttered dryly.

"Got it."

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><p>T rating now, but things might get slightly pervy later. What can I say? This is Fang we're talking about lol...<p> 


	2. Scene 2, Act 1: Gran Pulse

**Disclaimer: **Read the Prologue

**Scene 2, Act 1: Gran Pulse **

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><p>Lightning settled back down onto her rock and resumed the polishing of her gun blade.<p>

_Hold her hand? I'm not a kid…_ The pink–haired girl thought to herself, smiling gently.

She paused suddenly, and stared in the direction where Fang had departed.

_Perhaps a little walk would do me some good too._ She reasoned lamely.

Lightning quickly rose to her feet and slid her gun blade back into its sheath in one smooth motion.

_I hope I can catch up to her…_

"Not that it matters…" She quickly mumbled under her breath.

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><p>"Vanilla–san! You've caught her!" Hope cried enthusiastically, pumping his fists victoriously.<p>

"_Yes!_" Vanilla cheered, performing a happy little jig.

"Kyu! Kyu!" The chickobo joined in, flapping its tiny wings excitedly.

The auburn–haired teen brushed the chickobo's soft, golden feathers with a finger, and the bird closed its eyes in contentment. Vanilla turned to Hope with a gentle smile.

"Take care of her for me?" She asked lightly, holding out the baby chocobo.

The boy looked concerned.

"Ah! Is Vanilla–san going somewhere?"

"En!" Vanilla replied brightly. "I'll be gone…_just_ for a little while."

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><p>"Hm." Lightning frowned, stopping to survey her dark surroundings.<p>

_Where did she go?_

Her heart sank. Perhaps she had better head back to the campsite – before she got completely lost. Much as the ex–militant refused to admit, Lightning was more than a little intimidated by the vast expanse of Gran Pulse. How different Cocoon was, with its constricted and endless hallways!

Here, on Gran Pulse, she felt her inhibitions melt away. The wild, grazing animals, the grassy fields, the sparkling lakes…how breathtaking!

"But Cocoon's _still_ more civilized…" Lightning muttered, almost defensively.

_Where _is_ she?_

Her light, expectant mood was quickly returning to her natural dark, depressed state.

"Why am I even here?" She growled at last, in frustration.

Just as Lightning turned to leave, she heard a soft splash in the distance. Her heart leapt.

_Fang…?_

Lightning stepped guardedly around the rocky walls of the plateau and smiled with relief at the sight before her.

The impressively tall brunette stood ankle deep in the glinting waters of the lake, staring pensively at the glowing orb in the night sky. She had removed her knee–high sandals, which lay strewn on the lush grass.

Lightning's lips parted to call out to her comrade, but stopped.

_Fang…_

Her dazed eyes drank in Fang's flawless features, beautifully softened in Cocoon's gentle glow. She was too distracted to even notice her quickening heart beat.

All of a sudden, Fang chuckled lightly to herself, causing Lightning to flinch back behind the wall of rock.

"What is she doing…" The pink–haired girl gasped in irritation, blatantly ignoring the awkwardness of her own situation.

She snuck back to steal another look and nearly choked.

_A…ah!_

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><p>Fang sucked in the cool night air and relaxed.<p>

_It's good to be back._

She looked up at the silvery orb in the sky in wonderment. Had it always looked this beautiful? The Gran Pulsian's expression grew troubled. Was this what Cocoon really looked like beneath that veil of hate?

_I've been blind._ Fang admitted silently.

Cocoon had always been beautiful.

_Hmph, but it's prettier on the outside._ Fang observed critically, succumbing to an age–old prejudice.

The mental image of Lightning scowling at her last remark made her chuckle helplessly.

_Light…thank you for helping me see…_

Smiling dreamily, she unhooked her leather belt and flung it carelessly over to her sandals. Her hand slid down her trim stomach and gave her sari a gentle tug. The silky blue fabric fell away obediently at her touch.

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><p>Lightning nearly swooned, but held on to the rock for support. Her heart skipped as she watched Fang slowly remove her black top…revealing…<p>

She bit down hard on her lower lip.

_I…I…should go…_

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><p>Fang took another step forward, enjoying the feel of the night breeze against her bare skin. Sighing pleasurably, she ran her fingers through her unruly dark hair and gently massaged the back of her neck.<p>

"Mhmmm…"

She waded further still into the lake, and allowed the dark waters to swallow her whole. She held her breath for as long as she could before crashing through the surface, gasping for air.

Lake water trickled down her hair to her shoulders, curving around the heaving contours of her sensuous body.

Fang continued to pant, almost inaudibly now.

"Fang?"

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><p>:3<p> 


	3. Scene 2, Act 2: Gran Pulse

**Disclaimer: **Read the Prologue

**Scene 2, Act 2: Gran Pulse**

**Commentary: **(This will be short, I promise)

1. Hey there, thank you all for reading and appreciating this fic. I had loads of fun writing it! :D Still haven't completed my report though. Lol.

2. [HollowSnowberry], [Derpalicious], [Baka-Strawberry] thanks for your encouragement!

3. [Derpalicious] also commented that the spelling of Vanille as Vanilla still looks fairly odd, and I'm sure a fair number of you feel the same way. I can only apologize...because I've used her name a lot in this chapter. I'm genuinely sorry that it affects your enjoyment of this fic, but I _can_ offer one advice. Squint your eyes whenever you come across her name so it looks like "Vanille". Really, I've tested it out myself. :P

4. [Baka-Strawberry] LOL! (Lightning: *Me Gusta*) **  
><strong>

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><p>Lightning could scarcely breathe. She watched intently, almost hungrily, as the dark–haired beauty emerged from the dark, crystal waters.<p>

_What am I doing?_ Part of her wondered in protest, but was quickly silenced.

She longed to reach out…to caress her soft, bronzed skin…

Lightning swallowed thickly.

"Fang?"

_Ah…!_

The pink–haired girl thrust her back against the rocky wall and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Took you long enough!" Came Fang's brusque voice. "I almost thought you weren't coming!"

"I came as soon as I could!" The unmistakable girlish voice cried defensively. "I didn't want them to get suspicious…"

"Get in here…hurry…" Lightning was shocked to hear Fang wheedle. The tough female warrior behaved flirtatiously at times, but usually spoke in a confident, commanding voice. Hearing her whine like that made her feel oddly…aroused.

_What am I _thinking_!_

"Let me get these off first…" Vanilla replied, tugging off her beaded accessories.

"Hurry…"

The auburn–haired girl practically ripped off the rest of her clothing, and carelessly tossed them in with Fang's pile. She half–skipped into the shimmering lake.

"Ah! It's so _cold_!" The girl squealed reproachfully, splashing her way clumsily to Fang.

The brunette covered the distance between them in a few deft strokes, and smiled to pacify her sulky friend.

"Want me to warm you up?"

Vanilla blushed prettily.

"Fang…"

The older woman laughed lightly and pulled her friend into her arms, eliciting a gasp from Lightning.

_The two of them…!_

"Better?" Fang whispered huskily, her arms wrapped protectively around the girl's slender shoulders.

Vanilla nestled her cheek against the brunette's neck and nodded slightly, artfully concealing her deepening blush.

Fang closed her eyes and tightened their loving embrace. They ceased to speak, each lulled by the other's heavy breathing.

Lightning's gaze fell.

_So they really are…_

"You've lost weight." Fang whispered, breaking the magical silence.

Vanilla pulled away from her friend and looked down, startled.

"I _have_? _Where_?"

The brunette grinned mischievously at the unintentional invitation, and proceeded to prove her point – at length.

"_Fang!_" The girl cried, shocked by her friend's bold advances.

"Well, you _did_ ask…"

"You tricked me!" Vanilla huffed, pouting adorably in response to Fang's triumphant smile.

Lightning noticed that she _didn't_, however, pull away from Fang's questing fingers. The pink–haired girl rolled her eyes meaningfully.

"Mhmm…" Vanilla sighed in appreciation.

"Vanilla." The brunette murmured suddenly, drawing back.

The girl looked up at her friend dazedly, disappointment clearly written on her face. Fang placed both hands on her bare shoulders and looked at her seriously.

"Vanilla." She repeated with gentle firmness.

Vanilla stared deeply into her olive green eyes, hypnotized by their depth. She looked so intense, so startlingly beautiful…

"I love you."

She blinked.

"You _do_ know that, right?" Fang asked intently, without even a hint of her usual smile.

"I…do…" She answered weakly, feeling as though her heart would burst.

The dark–haired beauty smiled in relief.

"_Fang, I…!_" Vanilla quickly rushed in to say, but was cut off by a shake of her friend's head.

"It's enough for me." Fang murmured gently. "You don't have to say anything."

__…_I'm undeserving. Completely undeserving._ Vanilla finished off in anguish. _I'm an undeserving liar._

Fang gently cupped a hand around the girl's flushed cheek and leaned forward, bringing her sensual lips inches away from Vanilla's.

_Please forgive me…_ Vanilla begged silently. She closed her eyes and raised her chin invitingly.

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><p>Lightning turned away at last, unwilling to intrude any further. She stared darkly at the ground for a moment, her lips twisted into a sad, bitter smile.<p>

Finally unable to endure it any longer, she pushed herself to her feet determinedly. With an angry swish of her cape, Lightning stalked off in the direction from which she came.

"I hope you two catch a cold." She muttered vengefully, picking up speed.

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><p><strong>End of Scene 2<strong>


	4. Scene 3: Gran Pulse

**Disclaimer: **Read the Prologue

**Scene 3: Gran Pulse**

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><p>Fang awoke the next morning feeling decidedly refreshed and revitalized. She angled her head slightly to the left to check on the slumbering Vanilla, and rose carefully to avoid waking the latter.<p>

The girl had had a long night and needed a good rest for the day ahead.

_Oerba village…I wonder how much has changed…_ She thought to herself, suddenly dreading the prospect of returning to her hometown.

"Ngh…ngh…"

The brunette quickly turned to the figure slouched against a rock. Lightning, who appeared to have fallen asleep on her watch, was groaning in distress.

Fang rushed to her, concerned. She knelt down beside the squirming pink–haired girl and gently shook her awake.

"Light!" She said sharply. "Wake up!"

Lightning opened her bloodshot eyes at last and winced under the glare of the morning sun. The image of the beautiful huntress swam dizzyingly into view.

"…_what?_" She demanded harshly, shielding her eyes from the brutal sunlight.

"You were having a nightmare." Fang replied promptly, unperturbed. "Are you alright?"

Lightning grimaced and pushed herself up to her feet unsteadily, coldly brushing away the help of her comrade.

"They're still asleep…" She muttered tonelessly, surveying the area about her.

Sazh and Snow were snoring in sync with each other, sandwiching the peaceful–looking Hope on their shared mat. The three of them had taken the watch till dawn together, and were completely tuckered out. Her eyes carefully avoided a certain sleeping Pulsian…

"Light, are you –"

"I'm going to scout about the area a bit," she began briskly, turning her back to Fang, "and chart out our course for the day."

The brunette sighed softly.

"Fine. I'll just tag along then."

Lightning swiveled around to protest, but was quickly hushed.

"I'm more familiar with this terrain than you are." Fang said pointedly, gesturing reasonably to her. "_And_ you'll have the backup you need in case anything happens."

The Cocoonite shook her head and turned to walk away.

"Whatever you wish…"

Fang sighed again.

"What fun."

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><p>The dark–haired beauty hurried to keep up with the long, swift strides of her comrade, silently lamenting the waste of a good opportunity for a leisurely morning stroll. She cast meaningful glances at her aloof friend but kept her comments to herself. The pink–haired girl appeared to be in a foul mood as it was and didn't need further aggravation.<p>

Light, she concluded, wasn't much of a morning person.

"So, what was it about?" Fang asked at last, breaking the tensed silence. "The nightmare."

Lightning quickened her pace, ignoring her completely. They continued on in silence, but it was barely a few minutes later when Fang spoke again.

"Hmm…" The brunette mused aloud to herself, seemingly unbothered by the silent treatment. "It must have been a dream about Serah."

Lightning's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. She gritted her teeth and steeled herself from delivering a sharp retort.

"Mhm…" Fang nodded knowingly. "That explains it..."

Lightning clenched her fists.

_Don't you dare…!_

Fang threw a sly sideways glance at the fuming pink–haired girl.

"Snow was dreaming about Serah too last night –"

"_Stop saying her name!_" Lightning finally burst out, spinning around to face her.

Fang stopped and regarded her comrade calmly, folding her arms in anticipation.

"_You're the reason_ –" Lightning broke off abruptly, blue eyes widening in consternation.

"– that she's in crystal stasis?" The taller woman finished quietly, her voice throbbing with remorse.

Lightning snatched out her gun blade and swung it over Fang.

"_Light_–!"

"– _brace yourself!_" She hissed, pulling at Fang roughly with her free arm.

The brunette caught herself in time and wrenched herself out of Lightning's grip. She let out an involuntary gasp and steadied herself as the first tremor hit her from beneath her sandaled feet. The ground was shaking violently to rhythmic thuds that sounded dangerously familiar...!

Alert, she quickly turned, whipping out her bladed lance dexterously. A great bestial roar reverberated thunderously through the air. Her eyes hardened when she caught sight of the gigantic black form that swelled in size as it approached at a deadly pace.

"_Behemoth King!_" She growled, thrusting forth her crimson lance in battle stance at the bounding black beast.

"Huh?" Lightning blurted out, momentarily confused.

"This one's trouble…!"

The ex-soldier blinked. "Trouble"? By Fang's standards?

_Too late to run…_ She thought calmly, fixing a calculating gaze on the advancing beast.

_Looks like there's only one way out of this._

Lightning glanced over to Fang, gun blade poised to attack.

"You ready?"

"Hmph!" The bronze–skinned warrior sneered in reply, her green eyes bright with zeal. "Let's make it cry."

A brief smile crossed Lightning's face.

_Don't get ahead of yourself now…_


End file.
